Businesses were today counting the cost after part of Shrewsbury town centre was sealed off following a suspected gas leak.

A police cordon was thrown around High Street, Dogpole and Wyle Cop yesterday following reports of a strong smell of gas near the Oxfam shop, in High Street.

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Traffic diversions were also put in place to prevent people driving the route and to stop people walking between the Wheatsheaf Pub and Starbucks.

But the restrictions were lifted hours later when National Grid workers said they could find no evidence of a gas leak and could not track down the source of the smell.

The closure came just under a fortnight after an explosion in Bridge Street – which was believed to have been caused by a gas leak – injured 12 people and damaged businesses and homes in the area.

Hayley Jay, from Hayley J, a bridal and eveningwear shop in High Street, said that her shop was within the cordon.

She said: “The road was closed for about two hours. It will have affected everyone within the cordon.

“We usually have a lot of lunchtime trade so we will have lost out from people not coming in to make purchases.”

As well as shops businesses serving food also lost trade.

Nick Pugh, who works at the Wheatsheaf pub, in High Street, said: “We were within the cordon at one end but you could still get in one entrance.

“It was very quiet, normally we are quite busy but we only had a few regulars in.

“We won’t have to throw away food but we were unable to serve food for an hour and a half because they said we couldn’t use any naked flames.

“I completely understand though. Everyone is on tenterhooks and for the safety of the public it’s a good idea.”

A member of the staff working at Sarnies, in High Street, who did not wish to be named, said: “They shut the road at the start of our busiest time.

“We’ve had to chuck out a lot of our stock but we opened after to try to make up some of the sales.

“It took us by surprise because we couldn’t smell any gas but people came in and said they could smell it.

“I don’t think they could have done anything different

“They have to check it out.”

By Emma Kasprzak